File when the damage clearly costs more than your wind and hail deductible and your roof is young enough to be paid at replacement cost. When the repair sits close to the deductible, the claim can cost you more over the next seven years than it pays out now.
Get the roof inspected first. Then do the math below.
How do I know if roof damage is worth a claim?
Put a written repair or replacement estimate next to your deductible. The insurer pays nothing below the deductible, and only the amount above it.
Many policies set a separate wind and hail deductible as a percentage of the home’s insured value. On the median Sioux Falls home value of $292,400 (Census, 2020 to 2024), a 2% deductible is $5,848. Here is how wind and hail deductibles are figured, with the 1% and 2% math.
Now the roof. One Sioux Falls directory listed architectural asphalt roofs at $6,500 to $14,000 in 2026, with no method shown. A whole new roof at the low end of that range barely clears a 2% deductible on a median home.
| What the inspection finds | Against a $5,848 deductible | Usual call |
|---|---|---|
| A few shingles blown off | Well under | Pay for the repair yourself |
| One slope damaged | Close | Get two estimates before deciding |
| Hail across the whole roof | Over | File |
A handful of loose tabs is a simple roof repair. Fix it before the next rain.
What will insurance pay on an older roof?
Maybe far less than a new roof costs. Western National, a South Dakota insurer, settles wind and hail roof losses at actual cash value once the roof is 10 or more years old, under changes it made in April 2024.
Actual cash value is what your worn roof was worth on the day of the storm. Progressive gives an example: a 10-year-old roof valued at $5,000, against $9,000 to replace it.
Run that against the $5,848 deductible above. The check is zero.
Find out which way your policy pays before you file. Look for an endorsement with “actual cash value” and “roof surfacing” in its title, or ask your agent straight out: replacement cost or cash value, and from what roof age?
Will filing a roof claim raise my insurance?
It can. Every claim goes on your CLUE report, a file LexisNexis keeps of the last seven years of homeowner claims on a property, with the date, type of loss and amount paid. Insurers use it to price and accept policies.
We found no South Dakota figure for how much one roof claim adds to a premium. Ask your agent before you file.
Sources disagree on whether a phone call about damage, with no claim filed, ends up on the report. Assume it might.
You can get your own CLUE report free once every 12 months from LexisNexis at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com or 1-866-312-8076. Check it before you shop for a new policy.
Selling soon? Buyers cannot pull the report themselves, but they can ask you for a copy or make their offer depend on a clean one.
Can my insurer drop me after a hail claim in South Dakota?
Yes. We found no South Dakota law that stops an insurer from refusing to renew a homeowner policy because of weather claims. A 2016 bill that would have limited it was withdrawn. Arkansas has a rule like that.
What the state does require is notice. Under SDCL 58-1-15, a refusal to renew a homeowner policy only takes effect if the insurer mails or delivers it at least 30 days before the renewal date. No notice is needed when the insurer moves you to another company in its own group on the Division’s transfer form.
Thirty days is enough to shop, if you start the day the letter comes.
How long do I have to file a roof claim?
As long as your policy says, and some say one year. Western National’s 2024 South Dakota homeowner changes require notice of a hail loss within one year after the date of loss.
Other policies ask for prompt notice without a number. Read the conditions section of yours.
Western National’s year counts from the date of loss, so write down the date of every storm that drops hail on your street. If you missed it, here is the record of storms that hit Sioux Falls.
Two storms in one season make it worse. If you wait, the adjuster has to sort out which hail did what.
How long do I have to sue my insurer in South Dakota?
Six years for a contract claim under SDCL 15-2-13, unless another statute sets a different period. A separate law, SDCL 53-9-6, voids any contract term that limits the time to enforce your rights in court.
A policyholder law firm reads the two together to mean a South Dakota policy cannot shorten the six years. That reading is the firm’s, and the deadline to report damage is a different clause. If a claim heads toward court, talk to a lawyer early. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should I get a roof inspection before I file?
Yes. A roof inspection with dated photos and a written report tells you what is damaged, what caused it and roughly what the fix costs. That is the number you put next to your deductible.
It also tells you whether you are looking at storm damage or old age. Wear and tear is the reason insurers give most for saying no, and here is what to do if a roof claim is denied.
Questions about filing a roof claim
Should I file a roof claim if the damage is less than my deductible?
No. The insurer pays nothing below your deductible, and the claim can still go on your record.
How long does a roof claim stay on my record?
Seven years. Homeowner claims sit on the property’s CLUE report, which LexisNexis keeps and insurers check when they price or accept a policy.
Is there a deadline to file a hail claim in South Dakota?
Your policy sets it. One South Dakota insurer requires notice of hail damage within one year after the storm, so check the conditions in your own policy.
How much notice must an insurer give before dropping my homeowners policy in South Dakota?
At least 30 days before the renewal date, under SDCL 58-1-15. The notice has to be mailed or delivered to you.
Can I get my CLUE report for free?
Yes, once every 12 months, from LexisNexis online at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com or by phone at 1-866-312-8076.
Get a quote
Tell us about the job, with the date of the storm, and a local roofing contractor will call, text or email to set up a visit. The quote is free.